AN: Forgot I even wrote this thing till I stumbled across the file last night
Back when RWBY was new and shiny I found myself wanting to add OC's simply because I had bad ass weapons I wanted to see used. But most fics with OC's focus on some OC team that none of us could give a damn about, so I decided to cook up a way to add OC's without destroying the plot, or making the cast obsolete. I came up with the idea of upperclassmen mentors.
I'm going to be honest and upfront; I have a whole back story ready for this team to be slowly revealed, I've got a couple of ideas for joint missions, a few things like that, but that's it. I don't really know how much I could end up adding to the canon battles we all love because really throwing an extra body or three into it would cheapen their achievements, and what's the point of just mindlessly redoing what's already been done to death? Also, I cooked this up around… Season two or three. Not sure how I would or could adapt it to what's happened since then. Still it's written and I have a thread for stuff like this now, so here ya go.
I leaned back in my shitty uncomfortable desk chair and tossed an empty water bottle into the recycling bin. I had just finished going through the dossiers for Ruby and her team.
Long story short the team was potentially a ticking time bomb.
Ruby, the younger sibling, was now in command of her older sister, Yang. If Yang was used to being the one to give orders around the house that could lead to issues in the field when she's expected to follow Ruby's lead. Or Ruby could decide to lord being the team leader over her sister and cause friction by giving stupid orders.
Granted I didn't know either girl so it might not be a problem at all, but it was worth keeping an eye on.
Then we had Weiss Schnee, heir to one of the most influential and lucrative companies in Remnant. I didn't want to make assumptions. That said, the obvious conclusion was that the girl is a bit spoiled, probably has some issues with neglect or the like, hates the White Fang, and possibly biased against faunus in general by association. Luckily I didn't really have to make the assumption because Ozpin's files told me that much.
Also there was a brief email I'd gotten from professor Port about Weiss's belief about who should be leading the team. If the pair didn't sort their issues out before our first meeting I would need to have a long discussion with her about the chain of command.
Back on the subject of Weiss's issues with the White Fang though, hell of a coincidence, Blake Belladonna was an ex member of the White Fang who cut and ran a few months back. Absolutely no chance of that becoming an issue, at all, ever.
Good Oum I could taste my own sarcasm.
How Ozpin knew so much about Blake's activities before and after breaking from the White Fang was a complete mystery to me. Though it did bring back an old urge to search the dorm buildings for hidden cameras. Honestly part of me believes the man's semblance is the ability to know things about people.
I flicked the combat footage for team RWBY from my scroll to the screen mounted on the wall near the door. Leaning back in my seat with a pad and pen ready to take notes on strengths, flaws, and possible weapon modifications. Before I could hit play the door swung open blocking half the screen, and through the door walked Copper and Ash.
Copper is a big guy, maybe six foot five, Built like a freakin tank. He's got dull orange hair and likes to dress in black pants and rust red shirts, keeps his wardrobe fairly simple, which is unusual, but I appreciate where he's coming from, none of our team really go in for dressing up.
Ash on the other hand is almost the complete opposite. At a measly five foot seven including her mouse ears the girl could easily be described as mousy. The number of people stupid enough to do so within her hearing just so happened to be the same number of students she had sent to the infirmary over the past two years. Her loose black pants and grey jacket combined with her height made her a ghost when she wanted to be, all but impossible to find.
"You two enjoy your date?" I asked with a slight grin. The bag full of fries and chicken strips that slammed into my face courtesy of Ash, and Copper's light chuckles, were my only response. "What no ketchup?" The bottle of the world's most essential condiment which Ash bounced off my head was uncalled for, in my opinion.
Setting up my delicious greasy meal in my lap I hit play and started taking notes. My teammates settled on one of the beds and watched with me in their usual silence. Ten minutes and three pages of sloppy notes and small ketchup stains later the footage ended and I glanced over at my teammates.
"Rough." Was the one word response from Copper. The big guy was nothing if not succinct. Ash just shook her head. The short girl's mouse ears twitching in agitation. I nodded turning back to the screen and flipping through the footage to get a better look at a few choice moments.
"Charging the death stalker head on was stupid. So was not coordinating against the beowolves. But here at the end, with the nevermore, they have a lot of potential."
"Should have gone for the neck from the beginning." Ash finally spoke up.
"Their team is a nightmare." I stated bluntly eyes still glued to the final image of the nevermores falling carcass. "Red's the team leader, and she's two years younger. Schnee picked a fight with her about being a better choice for leader already, and Blake is ex White Fang. If that comes out wrong it could rip the team apart."
Ash almost growled at the mention of the Schnee and the White Fang. I didn't even have to look to know she was playing with the hilt of one of her hidden blades. The school could pass all the rules they wanted about storing weapons in our lockers when not in use, but there was no parting Ash from her blades.
"I've got my work cut out for me… Come on let's go over the dossiers for your teams, we only have a few hours before we need to meet with them." Nodding they pulled out their scrolls and we all started to go over the data on the other two teams.
Two hours of reading and watching combat clips later we all sat with looks of varying levels of frustration. Ash was going as far as to slide one of her knives in and out of its sheath, Copper was messaging the bridge of his nose and I was glaring at the ceiling.
"I can't believe Ozpin let someone in here who has no training, who hadn't even unlocked their aura!" Copper finally let out explosively. Hearing that much emotion from the big guy was extremely unusual. "The kid can lead, and improvise a plan, but he knows absolutely nothing!"
"Racists, I'm in charge of a team of racists! Is this Ozpin's idea of a joke?!"
"Probably wants you to straighten them out." Copper offered, which Ash silently waved off, not willing to be talked down yet.
"We all have our work cut out for us." I mumbled. "CRDL are all in need of personality adjustments, Jaune needs a lot of training, the situation between Weiss and Blake needs to be monitored and diffused if possible. Ruby is two years behind in her academics so she'll need help. They all have Port for grimm studies which means they have to self teach from the book, they will be coming to us with questions. Not to mention a few of them need to consider upgrading their weapons."
Nods were my only response. It was already turning out to be far more than any of us had signed up for. But we had signed up for the program to stay busy.
Third and fourth year were split. Half the time went into training for professions to pursue during the large chunks of required time spent away from the front lines to avoid mental breaks. Being in the mentor program our entire team had decided our time not fighting grim would go towards teaching. The other half of our time would be spent on missions. This was done intentionally because after graduation we would need to find a way to balance the two.
Well Ozpin may have thrown us into the deep end of the pool with this one, but he always had his reasons. His plans usually worked out. Though the failures…
"This is going to be so much work." I groaned lying back on my bed.
{}{}{}{} Friday night, end of first week of class
My team and our protegees had commandeered a practice hall for our meet and greet. The freshman sat around us in folding chairs.
"Alright, my name's Forrest-"
"Run, Forrest, run!" Yang shouted. I hate that reference, so much.
"Shut up. I'm the assigned mentor for team RWBY. That means you four are now my problem." I said shooting the group a mild glare.
"Excuse me?" Weiss asked haughtily.
"Did I stutter? My job is to help Ruby adjust to leading a team, and to help all four of you improve. You four have only been here a week, and before I even meet with you I'm already getting an email from a professor about a teamwork issue."
Weiss glanced away with a mild blush, embarrassed no doubt, while Ruby became very interested in her shoes.
"That's what I thought. Look girls I'm not trying to pick a fight, you all have a lot of potential, but there are things we need to work on too, we'll get to that later though."
I gave a pointed look to Ash and Copper. The big guy shrugged before stepping up.
"Team JNPR, I'm Copper, and I'll be your assigned mentor." His bit said he stepped back and leaned against a wall. Typical.
With a huff Ash stepped forward and in the blink of an eye four small blades flew from under her cloak and her hood fell back revealing her mouse ears. Four thunks and accompanying meeps rose from the seats of team CRDL.
"My name is Ash." The girl grit out. "I'm in charge of team CRDL. You all" and here she paused to sweep her gaze over all three teams, "will keep any racist comments to yourselves, or I will stab you. We will maintain this method of training until you learn to respect the people fighting alongside you regardless of genetics, religion, or sexual orientation. Is. That. Clear." Ash said, spinning a knife in each hand.
The entire group nodded quickly keeping their mouths firmly shut.
"Good." Her piece said Ash marched forward, yanking her throwing knives from between CRDL's legs as if it was the most normal thing in the world.
"Right, well now that that's out of the way-"
"Um, Forrest?"
"Yes, Ruby."
"Shouldn't there be a fourth mentor and team here too?" Ash began to curse quietly under her breath, and I didn't need to look to know that Copper was slumping in on himself.
"Yes, Ruby. There should be another person here with us tonight. Our team leader." My voice was quiet, devoid of emotion.
"Then, where-"
"She died."
All three teams looked stunned, many of them pailed. In spite of myself that drew a dry humorless chuckle out of me.
"Keep that in mind, none of us are immortal. Every time you go out there it's your life on the line. That is why we are here. To help you, and hopefully give you the best possible chance of making it back." I finished slumping into my own chair.
"We'll meet every Friday like this, and we'll be working out individual training programs with each team. Feel free to come to us for help with school work or personnel problems at any time, assuming we aren't on a mission. We'll do our best to help you. We'll be out on our first mission tomorrow, but we'll be in room 212 down the hall from you all if you need anything. Oh, and we'll be sending our scroll information to your scrolls. But for now, go enjoy your first weekend. We'll need a bit to finish making arrangements after this mission anyway."
The three teams gave subdued nods and goodbyes before making their way out of the arena.
"Think I rattled them too much?"
"They need to understand the risks." Copper's deep bass voice rumbled back. I hummed something noncommittal.
"Come on." Ash grumbled. "We have to pack."
"Right, we're leaving at eight. Guess we better get some sleep too." I mumbled. Not even back a full week yet, and already we had our first mission. I knew Ozpin kept the third and fourth years busy, but still, it was a hell of welcome back considering how things went last time.
Banishing those black thoughts before they could sink in I followed my teammates out of the room. Now wasn't the time for that. We had a mission to prep for.